Refrigerator-case.



No. 700,720. V Patenced' May 27, |902.

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REFRIGERATOR CASE.

- (Application filed may 6 1801.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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(No Model.)

' Patented May 27,1902. W. H. AMES.

REFRIGERATOR BASE.

'Application filed May 6, 1901.)

2 Sheets$heet 2.

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UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. AMES, OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

REFRIGERATOR-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 700,720, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed May 6, 1901. Serial No. 59,037. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. AMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Watsonville, county of Santa Cruz, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Refrigerator-Cases; and I hereby delare the following'to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to refrigerator-cases for the preserving and transportation for long distances of perishable goods and fruits, also to provide a package that shall be convenient and serviceable for the retail trade after same has reached its destination.

The invention consists in the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts, which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of my device, showing the door removed for a more perfect illustration, the arrangement of the ice-receptacle, slides on which the usual baskets of fruit or other goods may be placed, the movable slats in front covering the two lower sections of baskets and adapted to be continued the full height of fruit, the wood covering of the ice-pan,and the'space at center and sides for the circulation of air. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View on line a a, showing the arrangement of baskets and fruit in place, a slide partially withdrawn, the ice-receptacle and ice, the circulation of Warm air over top, cold air out the bottom of pan, drain-tube for waste water, trap in door for discharge of same. Fig.- at is a perspective vertical sectional drawing more fully illustrating the body, corners, slides, slats in front, and grooved strips in which they are sprung. Fig. 5 is a view of front, with the door closed, the locking device, the trap, the corner-pieces, and the ventilator.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of ice-panand locking device. Figvllis a detail of drainage-tube trap, with its extension of flexible tube. I

In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate the same parts of the invention.

The box or case A may be made of any desirable shape or size. 13 denotes its door, hinged thereto. The sides and door of case are preferably made of thin material, two or more pieces crossed and nailed or glued together and set into corner-pieces Z) for the purpose of making a stronger case.

C is an ice-receptacle surrounded on all sides and bottom with a thin wood covering 0 forthe purpose of preventing the moisture from condensing on outside of pan 0 and dripping off on fruit.

(Z is a drain-tube from pan 0, connecting when door is closed with discharge-pipe and trap E and flexible tube F for the discharge of Waste water entirely away from the case.

'6 shows a low stationary front of ice-pan O; f, the movable front provided to swing on pivot g and attached to inside of ice-pan O. The functionof this movable front f is to swing'up close under top of; case A, as shown in Fig. 3, for the convenient filling of the ice- .pan 0 with'ice, after whichit is drawn down, its lower or bent edge just falling inside of the low stationary front e, making a closed pan to the height of the other sides, the purpose being both for the retaining of the ice and the controlling of the circulation of the air.

G is a narrow rim or ledge entirely surrounding the central opening in bottom of ice-pan.

I is a cap attached-to suitable pieces to support same above rim G and projecting slightly above same, with its top'either curved or bent from the center to allow air to pass under and down through bottom,'als'o to protect ice falling through the curved or bentsh'ape to carry over to pan any condensed moisture that may form on its under side.

In Fig. 4: the shape and manner of attachin g guide-strips K to case A is clearly shown, with a portion of its side next to case cut. away for the free circulation of air.

W shows vertical strips in center, to which are'attached the center guide-slides k and arranged to leave a space between.

071 shows locking-iron bolted to corner-strip b with bolts at o 0. i

Z shows latch bolted to door B by bolt 0; R, plate under latch to prevent wear of wood when in use.

Locking-iron m is made with its upper offset made slightly longer than the lower one,

so that when bolted to case it presents a Wedge shape on its inside face with the wider part up, the action being that so soon as latch Z is started under its upper end and is forced down, as shown in Fig. 5, it forces the door in on its beveled edges, thereby making arvery close joint between door and case and also making the case much more rigid than would otherwise be the result. To look the door, simply pass a padlock P through locking-iron m above the latch 1, when latch cannot be removed.

Figs. 8 and 9 show the corners to be nailed to case A over the corners I), both for protection against Wear and to more thoroughly stiffen the box.

S shows the movable tray, with its slatted bottom T, raised rim sfor the retention of baskets.

X shows the thin strips in front of baskets, forming wall-sections to prevent the escape of cold air when the door is open; L, the grooved pieces at side into which slats X are sprung. To put slats X in place, insert one end of same in the groove L, spring the center out on a curve till same is shortened enough to slip in groove on opposite side,

when by releasing same it straightens back and fills the groove. To remove, grasp the center and simply pull out the slat.

Heretofore the baskets have been removed from topof box only, causing much trouble to remove the ice-pan to reach the berries. With this case the seller simply springs out the top slat X, when the top row of baskets is exposed and readily accessible by simply opening the door. After those are disposed of the action is repeated till the case is empty. The slides S and slats X are thrown in the case and returned to shipper.

V represents handles to lift case by.

I do not confine myself to this exact description, but have shown what I believe to be the best manner of accomplishing the desired results,

Ido not limit myself to the particular means here shown, whereby the ends of the slats X removed from the grooves without either sliding them upward or downward in said grooves or by removing one side of the groove.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. A case of the character described with top, bottom and three sides fixed together, the door hinged thereto, an ice-pan located near the top with a short side in front, three sides extending higher u'p,a center opening through bottom of ice-pan, arim surrounding center opening, a cap placed above center opening, a movable-front attached to sides of ice-pan in such a way asto be raised up to open the front, a drain-tube attached to the bottom of ice-pan, a covering of Wood or other suitable material, a trap and discharge-pipe connecting therewith, a flexible tube extending through the case, substantially as described.

2. .A refrigerator-case having sides,top,bottom, and door, an ice-pan and drainage-tube, slides at the sides having portions of their length removed for the free circulation of air, central upright pieces, slides attached to said central pieces spaced from each other to permit circulation of air and trays sliding on said slides, substantially as described.

3. A ref rigerator-case having sides, top,hot

' tom and door, an ice-pan and drainage-tube,

slides supported at the sides and spaced therefrom to permit free circulation of air, central upright pieces, slides on said central pieces spaced therefrom with the like object, and trays sliding on said slides, substantially as described.

4. A refrigerator-case comprising an icepan located near the top with a short side in front and three sides of greater height, a movable front attached to the sides of the ice-pan so that it can be raised to open the front, a central opening through the bottom of the icepan, a drain-tube therefrom, and a trap and discharge-pipe connected therewith, substantially as described.

5. A refrigerator-case comprising an icepan, slides, trays on said slides, grooved upright side pieces near the door of the case, and stripsof suitable flexible material corresponding in height to the height between the slides, the ends of said strips being inserted in said grooves, and movable therefrom by flexin g or springing the strips from said grooves whereby the strips may be removed from the grooves without sliding the same up or down, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of March, 1901.

WILLIAM II. AMES.

Witnesses:

HENRY A. HYDE, ARTHUR R. WILsoN. 

